Lost Daughters, an operatic new work commissioned for The Mozart Players by graduating Oberlin Conservatory conductor, John Paul Jennings, and written by celebrated composer, Ross Crean (www.rosscrean.com), is premiering at Oberlin’s Warner Concert Hall on May 7, 2017 at 8:00pm. For ticket information, visit https://www.facebook.com/oberlinmozartplayers. To support this world premiere student-produced opera, go to https://www.gofundme.com/lostdaughtersopera to help defray production costs.

“Lost Daughters organically integrates characters from literature, mythology, and opera to explore the complexity of motherhood, the universality of grief, and the strength to overcome loss,” said Maestro Jennings. “It is a tale of human experience we can all share. I am privileged for this opportunity to conduct the story through Ross Crean’s epic composition.”

In November 2014, The Mozart Players was founded by a collaborative of Oberlin students who created a precedent-setting environment in which to make and create new music. Three years later, it is only fitting that The Mozart Players’ swan song performance is another milestone of student and artistic achievement, a world-premiere opera, conducted and commissioned by founding member and Oberlin Conservatory graduating senior, John Paul Jennings. Lost Daughters will feature singers Katherine Bruton, soprano, Marysa Abbas, mezzo-soprano and Jessica Hiltabidle, mezzo soprano.

“This project brings together emerging artists and organizations from all over the U.S. to collaborate and originate new art and music, representing the entrepreneurship needed for the continued development of a new generation of American opera and art,” said Chicago-based opera composer, Ross Crean. “I encourage you to come see the performance and support not just Lost Daughters, but young, bold influencers of art like the Mozart Players.”

For more information about Lost Daughters, call The Mozart Players at +1.949.533.4170 or email John Paul Jennings at jpjennings555@gmail.com

I am so incredibly excited that mezzo-soprano Maayan Voss de Bettancourt will be premiering my song cycle "Metaphysisch" at the OperaRox New Works Concert as part of the New York Opera Fest! The cycle utilizes three poems by Rainer Maria Rilke. Maayan is a true talent, and I cannot wait to see her bring this to life!

The world premiere of Ross' monodrama "For Atticus, the Moonlight's Lover" will take place in Chicago on January 15, 2017! The monodrama is an artistic response to his time in Moscow, and to Putin's anti-LGBTQ laws.

"For Atticus..." will be performed by mezzo-soprano Erin Moll, cellist Aaron Gottl, and pianist John Cockerill. All proceeds will go to the ACLU!

Ross' comedic song cycle, "The Passive-Aggressive's Guide to Mother Goose", is a winning submission of One Ounce Opera's "Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Art Song", which will have its performance on November 18th, 2017 at the Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. Mezzo-Soprano Julia Di Fiore and Pianist Nikki Birdsong will be performing. For more information, and to read Ms. Di Fiore's interview with Ross about his work, go HERE!

Classic Concerts NS recently reviewed the Halifax performance of Crossing Borders: Realities Blurred, featuring soprano Maureen Batt and pianist Cheryl Duvall. I was very excited to see a fun and favorable review of the duo's performance of my comedic song cycle, "The Passive-Aggressive's Guide to Mother Goose".

I was lucky to have soprano Sarah Thompson Johansen and pianist Stephen Uhl perform my extended art song/monodrama "Chicago and December" this last Friday, May 27th, 2017. It was recorded in Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University in Chicago. I was also blessed to get permission and support from the wonderful poet W. S. Di Piero in using his poem for the text of this work. You can take a listen HERE!!!

I am excited to announce that I have signed with PARMA Recordings/Navona Records and Naxos America in bringing my opera "The Great God Pan" to recording in Summer of 2017! So excited to be a new member of the PARMA family! Read more about it HERE!

New blog post is up, discussing my year-long process with grief, and how the creative process through two operas helped me come to understand and surrender to its importance. I hope my perspective can be helpful! Enjoy!